Thursday, 14 April 2016

Vengurla – Hidden Treasure of Kokan

Over
the long Holi weekend this March, I went out to discover the last town of
Maharashtra – Vengurla. Some 550 Kms from Mumbai and 80 Kms from North Goa, lies
a sleepy and less explored town of Vengurla.

The Sea, The Sand, The Sun, The Palm

Blessed
with long stretches of white sand, hills covered with coconut palms, cashew and
mango trees, Vengurla is a small town full of natural beauty, amazing expanse
of beaches and rich cultural heritage.

We
took Jan Shatabdi on Thursday morning from Dadar and got off at Kudal. From
there we took an auto and reached Vengurla.

Interests:

Sagareshwar
Beach – Though
this stunning beach is located very close to Goa, it is still calm and aloof
from the maddening crowd. This is he beach which is closest to Vengurla town.
Walk on the soft sand and enjoy the amazing sunset here.

Different Shades at Different time

Sagareshwar Beach

Mochemad Beach is one of the most pristine
beach of Vengurla. This serene beach allows you to relax away from the crowd. A
secluded beach with a hill at one end, it is the ideal place if you are looking
for some alone time. You will not find a soul on this beach other than one or
two fisherman busy fishing. The way to the beach is through a small village
with the same name and is tucked away between the route from Vengurla to
Shiroda.

Virgin Mochemad Beach

Beautiful sunset at Mochemad Beach

Around
10 kms from Vengurla, this beach is a treasure for those who seek peace,
serenity and silent moments while on a beach. It is arguably one of the best
kept secret of Kokan.

Redi Ganpati is a very famous Ganpati of
this district. It is a simple temple which is under renovation. Do visit if you
are a ganpati devotee.

Redi Ganesh Temple

Vitoba Temple – On our way toRedi Templewe came across the famous Vitoba Temple. Do stop by and take the
blessing of the temple.

Entrance of Vitoba Temple

Shiroda Beach - A little away from Redi
Ganapti Temple towards Vengurla town is Shiroda Beach. This is the only beach I
saw in Vengurla which had small shops at the entrance of the beach selling
snacks, cold drinks, tea and other refreshments. I saw few foreigners on the
beach who had come on two wheelers from the neighbouring state Goa.

Approach to Shiroda Beach

Enjoy a Camel Ride at Shiroda Beach

The
beach also has water sport facilities like water scooter and banana ride. I
guess this is the most commercial beach in Vengurla. Though a little commercial
as compared to the other beaches of the town, this beach is neat and clean and
has its own charm. I could spot two camels also on the beach ready to take you
on their back for a ride.

Vengurla Jetty – This is the place which was a very important
place for the town. Though the jetty has lost its charm, you should still visit
this place and see loads of small boats docked and in the middle of the sea. Climb
up to PWD owned Sagar House and see the view of the jetty and the sea. Worth a
visit for the spellbinding view.

Vengurla Jetty

Boats at Jetty

Vengurla
Lighthouse – Make
a visit to this lighthouse to see the panoramic view of the sea. There are two
ways to reach this lighthouse – you can either trek up from Vengurla Jetty just
next to Sagar House or you can take your vehicle till the lighthouse through a
winding path on a hill. The lighthouse offers a spectacular view of the sea
meeting the horizon, boats and the jetty and vengurla coastline on the left.

Vengurla Light House

Arambol Beach – While on our trip to
Vengurla we drove to Arambol Beach and had some Goan fun. The feel of Arambol
Beach resembles that of a typical Goan with colourful shops on either side of
the road leading to the beach, shacks on the beach, booze shops, tattoos and
piercing shops, foreigners wearing close to nothing, everyone riding a two
wheeler... All this was screaming and telling me that we have crossed borders
and we are now in Go Go GOA…

Arambol Beach, Goa

Arambol, Goa

We
walked on the sandy beach and saw few foreigners doing yoga and meditation. We
walked towards the rocks and were surprised to see many small sea facing
restaurants and shops amidst the rocks. While climbing the rocks we could hear
the sea splashing on the rocks. After walking for fifteen mins we came to that
part of the beach which was hardly visited by people. Just across the sea there
is a small sweet water lake where you swim in peace.

Sweet Water Lake near Arambol Beach

Paintings on walls

Once
back on the lively side of the beach, we had our breakfast before biding bye to
Goa and heading back to our calm and quiet Vengurla.

Keri Beach – While on our way to Vengurla from Arambol
Beach we saw a road direction for Keri Beach. Keri beach is the first beach of
Goa while entering from Mumbai. So we thought why miss it?

Keri
beach is a mix of Vengurla and Goa beach. It has shacks but to a limit, it has
visitors but to a limit. By the looks of it, it is not a very popular beach and
has not become commercial till now. It’s a beautiful beach with small shacks
wherein you can sip on a beer, relax on a beach bed, go for swim in the sea,
have some snacks..

Keri Beach

Shacks on Keri Beach

Just
at the entrance of the beach is a temple dedicated to an old man known as Ajooba temple.

Other Beaches – Vengurla is blessed with
numerous beaches. If you have time you can visit Redi Beach, Velagar Beach,
Sagartirtha Beach, Wayangani Beach.

Shopping:

Vengurla
is famous for cashews and you can also buy mangoes if the season is right.

If
you are looking for a beach vacation, away from the crowd head to Vengurla. You
will be amazed by the serene beaches, white sand, calmness of
the small town and the simplicity of the people. Head to one of the beach to
spend the perfect evening with your family or your friends watching the sun set
in the indigo water.

In
Vengurla, you can choose to relax and do nothing or enjoy a swim in the sea,
explore local forts and temples, savour authentic coastal food, bird watching,
trekking ……. and many more!